Tamping and/or mixing machine



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 9, 1940. B. H. FLYNN y TAMPING AND/0R MIXING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1938 O Nl.

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B.H.FLYNN '.I'AMPINcsfv AND/0R MIXING MACHINE Filed Jun 29, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Yad towmo pri 9, w40. j B. H. FLYNN l TAMPING AND/0R MIXING MACHINE Filed June 29, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nl TNESS Patented Apr. 9, 1940 ""-UN1TED STATES PATENT OFFICE y TAMPING AND/OR MIXING MACHINE Benjamin H. Flynn, Alexandria, La.

Application June 29, 1938, Serial No. 216,577 16 Claims. (Cl. 94-39) IIn the construction of roadways and the like, vparticularly 4those of soil-cement composition, bituminous'or oil bound nature, and concrete, it is highly desirable to thoroughly tamp and/or mix the loose or plastic road material upon the grade, `or road-bed. Also ifj the grade or bedk the invention resides inthe novel: subject matter Yhereinafter describedfand-claimed, description-being accomplished by reference to the accompanying drawings. 1

Figure lis aside elevation partly'broken away and in section showing the invention embodied in a sub-grading and/or road reconditioning machine. "f

. Figure112 is a rear perspective view with the I strip,v templet orv the like` 46..omitted.

' Figure 3Vis a;partial;-top plan view with the deck plates rof the mobile frame omitted.

.` v,Figure 4.- isa sectional perspective view of one of the tamping ,and/or mixing units and its operating means. 1

l liigure is an enlarged side elevation partly in section ofthe sam'ef..

l Figure 6 is a perspective view showing different tamping and/or mixing members.

'For illustrative' purposes, the invention is shown embodied in the rear portion of a subgrading, road reconditioning or similar machine, said machine including a tractor truckT of 'the crawler or endless tread type, a rigid frame strucl ture Fpivoted atP vtothe'front axle `of said truck T, and jacks J by means of which `said frame structure may be upwardly and downwardly swung with respect to said truckT, said fram-e carrying a conventional motor' M and all-required equipment forv propelling and steering the machine, for driving the tamping and/or mixing means constituting the presentl invention, and for performingfany functions required of said ma-.. chine.

The side members I of the frame F project rearwardlybeyond the truck Tand are provided with plates II` which project downwardly suiliciently tol confine the loose or plastic material I2'to be acted upon by thev tamping and/ormixing means. In the present disclosure, it may be V assumed thatthis material is produced by the 5 'operation of a rotary cutter I3 and that any dey sired liquid may be mixed with saidmaterial by the rotation of said cutter, said liquid being supplied throughv appropriate spray means I4. y

On the rear end of the side members I0 I have l0 shown vertically elongated guides I5 with which the ends of a transverse bar I6 ar-e engaged for vertical sliding, screws I'I and hand Wheels I8 being employed for vertically adjusting. said bar as required. Vertically oscillatory arms I9, ex- Y tending longitudinally of the machine, are pivoted at to the bar I6 and extend forwardly therefrom, each arm I9 -being preferably composed from two angle metal bars I9 vconnected by transverse angle metal bars 2I, 22 and 23. 'Io 20 these bars 2I, 22 and 23, the tamping and/or f mixing membersare secured to penetrate the material I2 repeatedly as the machine is propelled, the arms I9 being alternately raised and lowered to effect operation .of said tamping and/or mixingy members. In Figs. 1 to 5, these members are shown as consisting'of blades or plates 24, 25 and-26 secured to the bars 2 I, 22 and v23 respectively, and disposed Ain substantially vertical transverse planes, the plates 25 being 30' disposed in end-to-end-relation and Kpreferably slightly overlapped, in a rowextending transversely of the machine,.and the same being true of the plates 25 and 26. Preferablytheplates 24 are suiciently long to penetrate,` the material I2v 35 substantiallyto the grade or roadbedI 2l, the plates 25 are somewhat' shorter to tamp the intermediate ,portion of the material, and the plates 26 are 'still'shorter to tamp the surface material. While tamping is here referred to, it

will be understood that the plates will not only produce a tamping action,` but will tend to mix the'materials .as they are alternately forced into and withdrawn from the same. "i

yInstead of using plates ysuch as 24, 25 and 26, 45 teeth of circular, square or other transverse section could wellbe employed, either with or with- I out one or `more of `said plates, and in Fig. 6, I

lhave illustrated a series of spaced vertical teeth Aor blades 28 substituted for the plate 24, and 5 0 they may. beforcedinto and withdrawn from the 6 5- material with the expenditure of relatively little power.

For vertically oscillating the arms E9, I pro- Vide a transverse crank shaft or similar shaft 30 driven by a chain or the like 3l and appropriate transmission from the motor M, said shaft 30 being operatively connected with said arms by connecting rods 32, the upper ends of said arms being connected with said shaft and the lower ends thereof being connected with said arms. It is preferable that the rods 32 be of extensible and retractable nature to vary the extent which the tamping and/0r mixing members will be forced into the material. It is also preferable that a yielding connection be employed between the rods 32 and the arms i9 to prevent injury of parts should complete depression of any arm be prohibited by striking of any of the mixing or tamping members solidly against an obstruction. The specic construction described below, is preferably followed.

A vertical sleeve 33 is pivotally connected at its lower end with the arm i9 as shown at 3d, the upper end of said sleeve being provided with a removable cap 35 having a central opening 36. The lower section 3l of the rod 32 passes slidably through this opening, said section 3l being adjustably connected with the upper rod section 38 by means of a bolt 39 engageable with any of the vertically spaced openings fi. The rod section 3l carries an abutment which preferably consists of a flange or collar il permanently secured on said section, and a collar 42 resting on said flange or collar Il! and removable from said section 3l. Upon upward movement of the rod 32, the collar l2 abuts the cap 35, lifting the sleeve 33 and the arm I9 to withdraw the tamping and/or mixing members from the material. Under this abutment, there is a coiled compression spring 43 in the sleeve 33 resting upon the closed lower end of the latter, and upon downward movement of the rod 32, this spring forces the arm I9 downwardly to cause the tamping and/or mixing members to penetrate the material, but if the downward movement of said members should be interfered with by solidly striking any object, the spring 43 will merely compress and no injury to parts will result. By removing the collar 42 and substituting one of greater thickness, it will be seen that the state of compression of the spring 43 may be increased.

The speed of the shaft 30 may be so controlled with respect to the forward speed of the machine as to cause the various tamping and/or mixing members to advance say one-half inch more or less between blows and it is thus insured that all of the material shall be acted upon to perform the desired tamping action, the desired mixing operation, or both. The angle at which the tamping members or the like engage the material may be varied by vertically adjusting the bar I6 carrying the arms I9, and the extent which said members will penetrate the material may be changed by varying the length of the connecting rods 32, and thorough tamping and/or mixing may be effected. If the material be of slushy nature, the invention will produce very much the action of a mortar hoe on mortar, and the material is prevented from being thrown laterally by means of the plates Il. A ilexible transverse strip 44 of rubbered fabric or the like may be provided to slide over the material in advance of the mixing means. In the present showing, the strip 44 is carried by a transverse partition 45 extending between the side members l0 directly behind the cutter I3, preventing this cutter from rearwardly throwing material onto the finished road surface. Another transverse strip 46 of rubbered fabric or the like, or if desired, a templet, may be suitably secured to the rear end of the machine to impart a final smoothing to the material. Should it be desired, however, to leave a transversely ribbed formation 47 on the surface of the road, particularly if the latter be of concrete, the member 4S may be omitted and the ripples or ribs will be produced by the plates 26.

The off-center portions (cranks or eccentrics) of the shaft 33 are preferably so set that the various arms i9 lower in one sequence or another instead of all lowering simultaneously, therefore requiring the expenditure of less power and lessening the vibration in the machine.

From the foregoing taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that novel provision has been made for performing tamping operations mixing operations, or both inV connection with road material lying in place upon a grade or roadbed, the machine being of particular advantage in the construction of roadways and the like of soil-cement composition, concrete, or bituminous or oil-bound nature. The invention is also usable to advantage in preparing grades or roadbeds for the reception of road material if they should possess an excessive amount of loose earth, for such earth can be thoroughly and expeditiously packed by means of the invention.

While excellent results may be obtained from the general construction shown and described, it may well be followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous variations may be made and it will be obvious that the invention may be embodied in a road building or maintenance machine, or in al machine designed solely for tamping and/or mixing.

I claim:

l. A machine of the class described comprising a mobile frame for propulsion over loose or plastic road material, a plurality of vertically reciprocaole vertical blades mounted on said frame, said blades being disposed at least in a front and a rear row both extending transversely of the machine, and means for reciprocating said blades in such manner that the blades of the front row deeply penetrate the material to settle the same and tamp the lower material upon the road bed and the blades of the rear row penetrate the surface material to further settle the same and tamp it upon said lower material.

2. A machine of the class described comprising a mobile frame for propulsion over loose or plastic road material, a plurality of vertically reciprocable vertical blades mounted on said frame, said blades being disposed in a front row, a rear row and an intermediate row all extending transversely of the machine, and means for reciprocating said blades in such manner that the blades of the front row deeply penetrate the material to settle the same and tamp the lower material upon the road bed, the blades of the intermediate row less deeply penetrate to further settle the material and tamp the intermediate material upon said lower material, and the blades of the rear row penetrate only the surface material to still further settle the material and tamp said surface material upon said intermediate material.

3. A machine of the class described compris- ,ingl a mobile'frame for propulsion over loose or plastic road material, a pluralityof arms extending longitudinally oi said frame and pivoted at their reary ends thereto for -vertical swinging,

means connected with said arms for vertically material and tamping the upper material upon the lower material.

4, A machine of the class described comprising a mobile frame for propulsion over road material in situ, a transverse rotary driven cutter mounted on'said frame for disintegrating said material and performing a mixing operation thereon, a plurality` of verticallyr reciprocable vertical 4 blades mounted on ,said frame behind said rotary cutter, said blades being disposed at least `in a front and a yrear'row both extending transversely of the machine, and'means for reciprocating said blades in such a manner that the blades of the front row deeply penetrate the material to settle the `same and ta'rnp the lower material upon the road bed and the blades of the rear row lpenetrate the surface material to further settle the same and tamp it upon said lower material, said blades performing `additional mixing operations in addition to the settling and tamping operations performed thereby.y

5. Amachine of the class described comprising a mobile frame for propulsion over loose or plas- .tic road material or the like, a transverse row of vertically oscillatory arms mounted on said frame, said arms extending longitudinally of said frame, vertical members secured to and projecting downwardly from said arms to penetrate the material over which the machine is propelled, and means on said frame and connected with said arms for continuously oscillating the latter relatively and to an extent to force said vertical members into and withdraw them lfrom said material.

6; A machine of the class described comprising a mobile frame for propulsion over loose or plastic road material or the like, a transverse row of vertically oscillatory arms mounted on said frame, said arms extending longitudinally of said frame, vertical blades in transverse planes se- ,v cured to and projecting downwardly from said arms lto penetrate the material over which the machine is propelled-and means on said frame and 'connected with said arms for continuously oscillating the latter relatively and to an extent to force said vertical blades into and withdraw them from said material.

7. A machine of the class described comprising a mobile frame for propulsion over loose or plastlc road material or the like, a transverse row of vertically oscillatory arms mounted on said `frame, said arms extending longitudinally of said rial.

tic road material "or the like, a transverse row of vertically oscillatory arms mounted on saidv frame, said arms extending longitudinally of said frame, transverse plates secured to and projecting downwardly from said arms-to penetrate the material over which the machine is propelled, said i lplates being disposed in a row in en'd-to-end slightly overlapped relation, and means on said frame and connected with said arms for continuously oscillating the latter relatively and to an 'extent to force said plates into and withdraw them from said materiall y 9. A machine of the class described comprising a mobile frame for propulsion over loose or plastic road material or the like, a transverse row of vertically oscillatory arms mounted on said frame, said arms extending longitudinally of said frame, verticalv members secured to and projectingndownwardly from said arms to penetrate the material over which the machine is propelled, said members being 'disposed in at least two rows extendy ing transversely of the machine, the members of vone row projecting downwardly to a greater extent than those of the other row to more deeply penetrate said material, and means on said frame and connected with said arms for continuously and relatively oscillating said arms to an extent to force said vmembers into and withdraw them from said material. v

l0. Amachine of the class described comprisy ing a mobile frame for propulsion over loose or plastic road material or the like, a transverse rovir ciy vertically oscillatory arms mounted on said `frarne,'said arms extending longitudinally of said frame, vertical plates secured to and projecting downwardly from said armste penetrate the material over which the frame is propelled, said plates being disposedy in end-tov-end relation in at least two `rows extending transversely of the machine, the plates of one row projecting downwardly toa greater extent than those of the other rrow to more deeply penetrate said material,

and means on said frame and connected withy 11. A machine of the class described comprising "a mobile frame for propulsion over loose or plastic road material or the like, a transverse row of vertically oscillatory arms mounted on said frame, said arms extending longitudinally of said frame, vertical plates secured to and projecting downwardly from said arms to penetrate the material over which the frame is propelled, said plates being disposed in end-to-end slightly overlapped relation in at least two rows extending transversely oi the machine, the plates of one row projecting downwardly lto a greater extent than those of the .other row to more deeply penetrate said material, and means on said frame and yconnected with said arms for continuously and relatively oscillating the latter to such an extent as to force said plates into and withdraw them from said material.

12. A machine of the class described comprising a mobile frame for propulsion over loose o-r f plastic road material or the like, a transverse row of vertically oscillatory arms mounted on said fram-e, said arms extending longitudinally of said frame, a 4plurality of downwardly projecting blades carried by each of said arms and spaced apart transversely thereof to penetrate the material over which the machine is propelled, and means on said frame and connected with said arms for continuously and relatively oscillating said arms to such an extent as to force said blades into and withdraw them from said material.

13. A structure as specied in claim 12; together with a second plurality of downwardly projecting blades carried by each of said arms and spaced apart transversely thereof, the blades of one plurality obeng staggered with respect to those of the other plurality and being of a different length, and means on said frame and connected with said arms for continuously and relatively oscillating the latter.

14. A machine of the class described comprising a mobile frame for propulsion over loose or plastic road material or the like, groups of vertically movable tamping and mixing members mounted thereon and spaced apart transversely thereof to penetrate said material to a substantial depth, a plurality of vertically movable tamping plates mounted on said frame and located one behind each group of said spaced tamping and mixing members, said tamping plates being disposed in vertical transverse planes and being at least as long transversely of the machine as the groups of members behind which they are located, and means for vertically reciprocating said spaced tamping and mixing members and said tamping plates, the lower edges of said plates being so located as to penetrate and tamp the surface material.

15. A road material mixing machine comprising a mobile frame, a material mixing device mounted thereon for vertical movement, a sleeve connected with said device and projecting up- Wardly therefrom, said sleeve having a closed lower end and also having a closure at its upper end formed with a central opening, a vertical connecting rod extending slidably into said sleeve through said opening of said closure, an abutment on said connecting rod Within said sleeve to abut said closure and lift said sleeve and device as the connecting rod is lifted, a compression spring in said sleeve abutting said abutment and closed lower end of said sleeve to downwardly force said device yieldably as the connecting rod is lowered, and means connected with the upper end of said connecting rod for reciprocating the same.

1G. A machine of the class described comprising a mobile frame, a tamping or similar device mounted thereon for vertical movement, a sleeve connected with said device and projecting upwardly therefrom, said sleeve having a closure at its upper end formed with a central opening, a vertical connecting rod extending slidably into said sleeve through said opening, an abutment on said connecting rod within said sleeve to abut said closure and lift said sleeve and device as the connecting rod is lifted, a compression spring in said sleeve abutting said abutment to down- Wardly force said device yieldably as the connecting rod is lowered, and means connected with the upper end of said connecting rod for reciprocating the same, said abutment including a collar detachably secured on said connecting rod, permitting substitution of a collar of different thickness to change the extent of compression of said spring.

BENJAMIN I-I. FLY'NN. 

